Foot-Operated Audio Effects Device

Abstract

A foot-operated audio effects device (10) receives, stores and operates at least one software audio effect plug-in (86). At least two of the audio effect plug-in (86) may be designed to operate under different operating systems. The device (10) may receive multiple audio input streams (38, 40). Users can control at least one parameter of the audio effect plug-ins (86). The device (10) may include a mass storage device (72) which stores audio which has been generated within the device (10). In use, the device (10) may be connected to a computer (110) and software audio effect plug-ins (86) transferred to and stored in the device (10). The computer (110) may be used to configure parameters of the audio effect plug-in (86). Those parameters may be stored within the computer (110).

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is based on and claims the benefit of the filing dates of AU applications nos. 2007904025 filed 26 Jul. 2007 and 2008901175 filed 11 Mar. 2008, the contents of which as filed are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to foot-operated audio effects devices suitable for stage performances or sound recording.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In the fields of stage performances and sound recording, audio effects are applied to the audio from musical instruments, such as an electric guitar, or vocals from a microphone. These audio effects alter the audio in a way that enhances the performance by adding audio effects such as distortion, delay or many other audio effects to the input audio stream which then enhances the final output sound. In a typical application the audio stream is input into a foot-operated audio effect device which alters the input audio stream and then the a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a foot-operated audio effects device, adapted to receive, store and operate at least one software audio effect plug-in.

Problems solved by technology

One limitation of such foot-operated audio effect devices is that they provide only one audio effect, which limits the performer's creativity.

Such a series arrangement necessitates using an array of different foot-operated audio effect devices resulting in a complex, expensive, time-consuming and unreliable system to generate the audio effects.

If any one of the foot-operated audio effects devices fails in such a complex setup, then it will produce either no sound or inferior sound.

Foot-operated multi audio effects devices are limited to a fixed number of selectable audio effects and so are not flexible or extensible.

The performer is limited to the audio effects provided with the foot-operated multi audio effects device they have purchased.

The DSP hardware is also often inferior in the sound quality it produces compared with the foot-operated analogue single audio effect device it emulates.

A disadvantage with the plug-ins operating through a computer is that the computer is not suited to the hostile environment of live performances which can include drink spillage, moshing, or handling by roadies.

The sound equipment must, therefore, be rugged, but a computer is a fragile piece of equipment that is liable to be damaged by such activities and environments.

Also it is not acceptable that the computer freeze-up and need rebooting during a live performance, or that a background process running on the computer cause an audio glitch as this would impair the quality of the performance.

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